NIST Tests Wireless LAN For First Responders

Folks at the National Institute of Standards and Technology are working on a set of special WiFi-enabled devices that can be used by emergency workers to communicate with each other. Not much in the way of details, but it sounds like the solution is just a bunch of PDAs with WiFi ability, configured to look to connect directly to each other - rather than a central access point. On top of that, there's some special software to let people know who is contacting whom. The system will also let users send sensor information, as well as sound, text, and video. Seems like a smart way to quickly set up a useful ad hoc network in a chaotic situation.